Skip to main content

Project Safe Neighborhood

Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN): Revitalized in 2018

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide initiative that brings together federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them.

The District of the Virgin Islands is committed to a strategic effort to reduce violent crime across the District. 

U.S. Virgin Islands PSN

The U.S. Virgin Islands Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program is a dynamic partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office, Virgin Islands Department of Justice, federal and territorial law enforcement agencies, faith-based organizations, civic groups, social service providers, and neighborhood leaders across the district.  The program strategically targets violent offenders and drug traffickers—the worst-of-the-worst—for criminal prosecution in the federal and territorial courts. Through our successful case-screening protocols with the VI Department of Justice, prosecutors and law enforcement officers are able to identify and quickly route appropriate cases to federal court when prosecution in that venue will deliver the most significant impact.

PSN partners foster community relationships intended to enhance public safety, discourage criminal gang involvement, promote positive life choices, and to direct individuals with personal challenges to necessary social services and community resources.  The PSN partners also collaborate to identify the most effective public messaging strategy for each community, utilizing press releases, press conferences, and advertising campaigns highlighting the penalties for committing federal narcotics and firearms offenses. Prosecutors, agents, and officers routinely meet with local community groups and hold public events designed to educate and engage the public in conversations about public safety and reducing violence. 

The PSN Strategy

  1. Leadership by the United States Attorney.
  2. Partnerships at all levels of law enforcement and with the community.
  3. Targeted and prioritized enforcement efforts that:
    1. Utilize the full range of available data, methods, and advances in technology to identify the offenders who are driving violent crime rates in the most violent locations in the district.
    2. Ensure prosecution of those offenders in the federal, state, local, or tribal system—whichever provides the most certain and appropriate sanction.
  4. Prevention of additional violence by prioritizing efforts such as:
    1. Ensuring public awareness of the violent crime reduction strategy and enforcement results.
    2. Communicating directly to offenders about the consequences of continuing violent behaviors.
    3. Supporting locally based prevention and reentry efforts.
  5. Accountability for results based on outcome (e.g., reduction in violent crime) in addition to output (e.g., implementation of key strategies, numbers of investigations and prosecutions).

 

To Learn More About PSN and How You Can Help:

Website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the U.S. Virgin Islands  

Website for the Department of Justice PSN Information

 

U.S. Attorney’s Office for the U.S. Virgin Islands:

St. Thomas:  340-715-5757

St. Croix: 340-773-3920